PARLIAMENTARY LAUNCH

On October 23rd the Sustainable Soils Alliance held its official launch with a Parliamentary Reception at the Terrace Pavilion, House of Commons.

The event was hosted by Rebecca Pow MP, who neatly encapsulated the event as follows: “A remarkable two hundred people, from scientists to NGOs, farmers, environmental groups and academics were brought together through the recognition that our soils have for too long been neglected and the determination that through a joint approach we can push for a positive change in the way our soils are managed so that the soil crisis might be reversed”.

The Secretary of State Michael Gove not only attended the reception but stated words to the effect that soil will now start to get the attention it deserves from this Government. He promised to work with the SSA to ensure this happens.

We are in the process of collating and analysing the contributions made by the speakers on the day, as well as the many responses to the questions we posed regarding future soils policy on the #sustainablesoilsnow postcard. If you would like to provide your answers-on-a-postcard to these three questions, please send them to ellen@sustainablesoils.org

What worries you most about the state of UK soils?

What needs to be done to address this?

What government policies are needed to make this happen?

This feedback will be used to inform and direct the SSA’s policy asks which we have published in a full report of the event.

Successfully pursuing these asks will require the ‘joint approach’ Rebecca Pow referred to above. We are extremely grateful to those of you that expressed the willingness to collaborate with us in the task ahead by offering us your time, finances and expertise.

Parliamentary Launch Highlights Video

Individual Presentation videos at the SSA Parliamentary Launch

The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP gave this address to the Parliamentary launch event of the Sustainable Soils Alliance on Monday 23rd October 2017.

Rebecca Pow MP, PPS to Defra, gave this address to the Parliamentary launch event of the Sustainable Soils Alliance on Monday 23rd October 2017

Neville Fay, co-founder of the Sustainable Soils Alliance, gave this address to the Parliamentary launch of the Alliance on Monday 23rd October 2017.

Ellen Fay, co-director of the Sustainable Soils Alliance gave this address to the Alliance's Parliamentary launch event on Monday 23rd October 2017.

Sir Tim Smit, co-founder of the Eden Project, gave this address to the Parliamentary launch event of the Sustainable Soils Alliance on Monday 23rd October 2017

John Sauven, CEO of Greenpeace, gave this address to the Parliamentary launch event of the Sustainable Soils Alliance on Monday 23rd October 2017

Professor Chris Collins, Coordinator of the Soil Security Programme gave this address to the Parliamentary launch event of the Sustainable Soils Alliance on Monday 23rd October 2017

Helen Browning OBE, CEO of The Soil Association, gave this address to the Parliamentary launch event of the Sustainable Soils Alliance on Monday 23rd October 2017

Patrick Holden, CEO of the Sustainable Food Trust, gave this address to the Parliamentary launch event of the Sustainable Soils Alliance on Monday 23rd October 2017

Baroness Young, Chair of the Woodland Trust, gave this address to the Parliamentary launch event of the Sustainable Soils Alliance on Monday 23rd October 2017

Craig Sams, founder of Green and Blacks and executive chair of Carbon Gold, speaking at the Parliamentary launch of the Sustainable Soils Alliance launch on Monday 23rd October 2017.

Keith Norman, Technical Director at Velcourt, gave this address to the Parliamentary launch event of the Sustainable Soils Alliance on Monday 23rd October 2017.

Dr Anna Krzywoszynska, University of Sheffield, gave this address to the Parliamentary launch event of the Sustainable Soils Alliance on Monday 23rd October 2017.

As a result of erosion over the past 40 years, 30 percent of the world’s arable land has become unproductive.

— David Pimentel

The Sustainable Soils Alliance was founded as Soils in Crisis by Treework Environmental Practice andTreework Seminars in 2016 with support from Yeo Valley Farms and the Woodland Trust. We are working to bring together all stakeholders in soil health to create a forum to influence positive change, identify beneficial policy principles and create the frameworks that will support the development of healthy soil for future generations.